The Originals

Auckland City Rails 1

My first attempt at making a 60 minute video with the footage I obtained around Auckland. Features mainline trackside action from South Auckland, shots from the Orakei and Newmarket tunnels, overhead shots from the yard at the Port and a lot of shunting action from Westfield.

Auckland City Rails 1DVD PAL Standard Screen (4:3)$7.50 includes p+p

Matamata to the Mount

For a number of months after releasing the original 2001 version of "Matamata", I continued to return to the Bay of Plenty with the intention of making another video from this area. The locations were supposed to cover Mt Maunganui to Kawerau and Murupara. It didn't happen.

So with the footage I had sitting around, I've added it to the original production and come up with this version - the 2009 Edition. I would've like to have done a total re-edit of the entire production but I never kept the original footage, so I've cleaned up as much as I can, removed some really bad shots and spliced in the additional footage where appropriate.

Matamata to the MountDVD PAL Standard Screen (4:3)$7.50 includes p+p

Auckland City Rails 2 - Heading West

Footage gathered whilst seeking new locations. Twenty minutes of steam action from Mainline Steam, Parnell, the former Auckland Railway Station, Waimauku, Waitakere tunnel and Helensville. Followed by 40 minutes of freight and Metro action from Henderson west to Helensville. Features pacing shots and the new yellow and black 'Bumble Bee' paint scheme.

Auckland City Rails 2DVD PAL Standard Screen (4:3)$7.50 includes p+p

Waiouru Wanderings - Taihape to Tangiwai

Filmed over 8 days of glorious autumn weather, covering areas from Taihape, the Turangarere Horseshoe curve, Waiouru, Tangiwai and Karioi. Mostly EF Class electric locos but diesels do make appearances.

Some interesting lighting conditions enhance a very dry landscape.

Waiouru WanderingsDVD PAL Standard Screen (4:3)$10.00 includes p+p

Waikato Hotshots - Franklin to Hamilton

We start off witnessing the changeover of the diesel locos to the electric locos on the southbound Overlander at Hamilton Station, take a brief look at the Te Rapa Yards, the Hamilton City Bridge and tunnel, then it's off up north to have a look at the Huntly coal mines, then further north to the Glenbrook Steel Mill, and finally a lot of trackside shots from various areas in between. Features a close up 'in your face' pacing shot at East Huntly, coal loading at the two mines and some very high speed freights.

Waikato HotshotsDVD PAL Standard Screen (4:3)$10.00 includes p+p

Ruapehu Rails - Ohakune to Te Kuiti

Ruapehu Rails covers rail action on the North Island Main Trunk Railway between the towns of Ohakune in the south, and Te Kuiti in the north. Areas covered include Horopito, Raurimu, National Park, the Piriaka lookout and Taumarunui.

Ruapehu RailsDVD PAL Standard Screen (4:3)$10.00 includes p+p

Canterbury's Coal Line - Lyttelton to Otira

Canterbury's Coal Line takes in trackside rail action from Lyttelton to Otira via Addington Station, Templeton, Rolleston, Darfield, Springfield, Cass, and Arthurs Pass. The footage was taken over the Christmas and New Year's break of 2003 and 2006. The three year gap is evident with the change in corporate identity.The Tranzalpine gets a big showing, as do the abundant coal trains that roll over the Midland line to Rolleston, then swing north on the main South Line to Christchurch and Lyttelton. The program concludes with an extended length coal train trial between Otira and Arthurs Pass where 7 DX's haul in excess of 40 coal wagons through the Otira tunnel.

Auckland City Rails 3 - Westfield to Wellsford

Auckland City Rails 3 covers rail action in the Auckland area. Locations featured are: Otahuhu station, the Metroport at Westfield, Newmarket, the Auckland City Port, the old Auckland Railway Station, Britomart, the Orakei Basin and various locations along the North Auckland Line from Morningside through to Ranui, Waimauku and Helensville. We then jump north to Wellsford where the team on the Whangarei shunt are found to be sorting 4 wheeler log wagons, with the video ending chasing this shunt north back towards home.

Auckland City Rails 3DVD PAL Standard Screen (4:3)$10.00 includes p+p

Rangitikei Rails - Taihape to Feilding

This video kicks off by the small settlement of Mataroa, just north of Taihape, and heads south finishing at Feilding. Areas covered include Taihape, Hunterville, Silverhope, Marton, Greatford, Kakariki, Halcombe and Maewa. The focus is on the longer freights that run between Wellington and Auckland, although the Overlander and a few locals manage to sneak in.

A couple of great shots of the Rangitikei Bridge South are included. Surprisingly, this one took four years to put together. I think the wait has been worth it as only the very best of all the footage I've gathered made it to this one.

Rangitikei RailsDVD PAL Standard Screen (4:3)$10.00 includes p+p

Rangitikei Rails 3 - Summer Hotshots

In this production we kick off at Palmerston North and head our way north through the passing loops at Milson, Bunnythorpe, Feilding, Maewa, Rangitawa (Halcombe), Greatford and finally at Marton where the loop connects onto the multitude of tracks at the Marton Junction. Filmed between 2005 and 2009, we're treated to various liveries, with a good helping of the new KiwiRail paint scheme making a few appearances. The program ends with something a little different - 12 minutes of scale rail action from the Palmerston North Esplanade Scenic Railway - a surprisingly pleasant escape from the big stuff.